I experienced that utter helplessness which is the last test of courage.

The man came forward, and then--then, thank God! the vision passed away.
An exclamation to which M.d'Agen gave vent, brought me back to the present, and to the blessed knowledge that the fight was not yet over.
We were within a score of paces, I found, of the Castle gates; but so were also a second party, who had just debouched from a side-street, and now hurried on, pace for pace, with us, with the evident intention of forestalling us, The race ended in both companies reaching the entrance at the same time, with the consequence of some jostling taking place amongst the servants.

This must have led to blows but for the strenuous commands which M.de Rambouillet had laid upon his followers.

I found myself in a moment confronted by a row of scowling faces, while a dozen threatening hands were stretched out towards me, and as many voices, among which I recognised Fresnoy's, cried out tumultuously, 'That is he! That is the one!' An elderly man in a quaint dress stepped forward, a paper in his hand, and, backed as he was by half a dozen halberdiers, would in a moment have laid hands on me if M.de Rambouillet had not intervened with a negligent air of authority, which sat on him the more gracefully as he held nothing but a riding-switch in his hands.

'Tut, tut! What is this ?' he said lightly.